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Christmas Day fish dishes

by Jessica Lockyer-Palmer

published on 12 December 2023

Not everyone wants to base their festive feast around turkey or other cuts of meat. For the fish lovers among us, Christmas presents the opportunity to go all out with a seafood-based centrepiece special enough for the big day. Think celebratory-sized portions, festive adornments, golden pastry casings and rich sauces, with these fish-based favourites from the likes of Mary Berry, Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver.

Mary Berry Sharing Fish Platter Recipe

Mary Berry’s Fabulous Fish Sharing Platter

Mary Berry’s sharing platter is an ideal choice for festive season gatherings. Featuring succulent prawns, rich smoked salmon, and delicate quail eggs, all accompanied by crisp lettuce wedges, hearty rye bread, and a zesty lemon dressing, this platter is sure to delight your guests. It’s the perfect dish to put out on Christmas Day as a sharing starter before the main meal.

ottolenghi salmon gratin recipe

Ottolenghi’s Potato, Fennel and Smoked Salmon Bake

Ottolenghi’s rich salmon, potato, and fennel bake is a twist on the classic Swedish comfort food favourite, lax pudding. This dish makes a fantastic pescatarian centrepiece for Christmas, combining tender salmon, creamy potatoes, and aromatic fennel to create a comforting and indulgent meal.

Poached Side of Salmon with Asparagus and Brown Shrimps

Poached Side of Salmon with Asparagus and Brown Shrimps

from Classic

Mary Berry’s poached side of salmon with asparagus will impress your family and friends no end, and it takes minimal work to prepare. You can swap the asparagus for more seasonal purple sprouting broccoli.

From the book

Mary Berry

rick stein salmon wellington

Rick Stein’s Salmon Wellington with a White Wine and Cream Sauce

This show-stopping recipe balances the lightness of a salmon en croûte with the richness of a traditional beef wellington, thanks to its deeply savoury mushroom filling and buttery puff pastry casing.

Dover Sole a la Meunière

Rick Stein’s Dover Sole a la Meunière

Rick Stein’s Dover Sole a la Meunière is the perfect choice for a smaller gathering as you’ll need one Dover sole per person. It’s a wonderfully simple dish but its rich, butter-laden sauce makes it feel suitably special.

Jamie Oliver’s Easy Salmon en Croute with Tasty Spinach, Baked Red Pesto Sauce and Lemon

Jamie Oliver’s Easy Salmon en Croute with Tasty Spinach, Baked Red Pesto Sauce and Lemon

Jamie makes Christmas even easier with this simplified salmon en croûte. Layer ready-made puff pastry into a baking tray, top with garlicky spinach and salmon fillets, and glaze with a red pesto egg mixture so it emerges from the oven beautifully golden.

Baked Sea Bass with Roasted Red Peppers, Tomatoes, Anchovies and Potatoes

Baked Sea Bass with Roasted Red Peppers, Tomatoes, Anchovies and Potatoes

This Baked Sea Bass is packed with flavour. Paired with vibrant roasted red peppers, tomatoes, saffron, anchovies and potatoes, this is a Mediterranean take on a Christmas fish centerpiece.

Gravlax (Dill-cured Salmon)

Gravlax (Dill-cured Salmon)

Great as a canapé, as part of a festive breakfast with scrambled eggs, or even as a centrepiece, gravlax is also an easy make-ahead option to alleviate some of the pressure on Christmas Day.

Whole Roast Turbot with Garlic, Rosemary, and Cherry Tomatoes

Here is a prime example of a dish of minimum effort and maximum reward. Featuring tender roast turbot topped with garlic, chilli, rosemary and parsley for a fresh alternative centrepiece.

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